Trump’s Autism and Vaccine Remarks Spark Outcry Among Experts

President Donald Trump’s Monday press conference, intended to address public health concerns, ended up stirring controversy as he repeated a series of misleading and outright false claims about autism, vaccines, and common medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).

The event followed recent comments from federal health officials suggesting that some studies had identified a possible link between frequent acetaminophen use during pregnancy and a slightly increased risk of autism. However, most major health organizations — including the CDC, WHO, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — have emphasized that the evidence remains inconclusive and does not warrant changing current medical recommendations.

Despite this, Trump used the briefing to urge pregnant women to avoid Tylenol entirely, even though no major health body has made such a recommendation. He went further, diving into topics including childhood vaccination schedules and hepatitis B prevention, where his comments quickly drew sharp criticism from doctors and scientists.

Trump’s Vaccine Comments: Misinformation and Fear-Mongering

At the press conference, Trump repeated a long-debunked claim that the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may be dangerous. “Break up MMR, break it up,” he said, suggesting that parents should seek three separate shots for their children.

Medical experts were quick to push back. Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in New York, noted that decades of research show no link between the MMR vaccine and autism and that administering the shots together is both safe and efficient. The combined MMR vaccine has been a cornerstone of disease prevention since the 1970s, protecting millions of children worldwide from potentially deadly outbreaks.

Hepatitis B: Why Newborn Vaccination Matters

Trump also questioned the need for giving newborns the hepatitis B vaccine, arguing that the virus is sexually transmitted and that vaccination should be delayed until age 12. This claim ignores a critical fact: hepatitis B can be passed from an infected mother to her child at birth, as well as through accidental contact with infected blood in early childhood.

Doctors stress that newborn vaccination within 24 hours of birth is crucial to prevent lifelong chronic infections that can lead to liver cancer or failure. “Even delaying by one month is risky, and waiting until 12 years old would leave infants entirely vulnerable,” Dr. Ratner said.

Inflated Numbers and ‘Vats’ of Vaccines

Trump went on to claim that infants receive “80 different vaccines” from a single “vat,” describing the process as overloading children “like a horse.” In reality, U.S. children typically receive around 20–30 vaccine doses from birth to 15 months of age, spread out over multiple doctor visits.

“There is no ‘vat,’” Ratner explained. “Vaccines are carefully prepared in sterile doses and administered by trained professionals. Combining certain vaccines actually reduces the number of injections children need.”

Autism Myths: Amish and Cuba

Trump further suggested that autism is virtually nonexistent among the Amish, claiming that their supposed avoidance of vaccines explains the difference. However, studies show that many Amish families do vaccinate, and autism does exist within their communities. Similarly, Trump speculated that Cuba’s low reported autism rates are linked to a lack of access to Tylenol — a claim health experts say has no scientific basis and likely reflects underdiagnosis rather than true prevalence.

Autism Rates Then and Now

Finally, Trump exaggerated the historical prevalence of autism, claiming that rates were once as low as “1 in 20,000” only 18 years ago. CDC data shows that autism prevalence in 2000 was already 1 in 150, with much of the apparent increase since then attributed to better awareness and diagnostic practices rather than an actual surge in cases.

Why It Matters

Health experts warn that Trump’s comments could have real-world consequences, potentially discouraging parents from vaccinating their children or leading pregnant women to avoid medically safe pain relief unnecessarily.

“Statements like these undermine public trust in medicine,” said Dr. Ofer Levy, a Harvard Medical School professor. “When misinformation comes from the highest levels of government, it risks reversing decades of progress in preventing childhood disease.”